Story Highlights

Whether you love him or hate him, Andrew Dice Clay knows that his raunchy material is what made his name and he’s sticking to it.

“If you’re asking me if I’m still filthy,” Clay wrote in an email interview, “the answer is definitely YES! But after all the years, I know how to make filth almost cartoonish, so it is not as mean as the old days.”

The leather-clad comedian burst onto the scene in the late ’80s, creating the stage persona of an ultra-misogynistic, chain-smoking Brooklynite.

“If I did half the things in real life that I say on stage, I’d be doing 25 years to life right now,” he wrote.

To call his reception divisive would be an understatement.

He was lambasted by critics; banned from MTV; and had cast member Nora Dunn and musical guest Sinéad O’Connor boycott the episode of Saturday Night Live he hosted.

But despite the controversies, Clay was hugely successful. His 1990 album, “The Day the Laughter Died,” peaked at No. 39 on the Billboard charts, and he sold out Madison Square Garden two consecutive nights — a feat no other comic has ever accomplished.

And then, just as quickly as he exploded onto the scene, he seemingly disappeared.

“I was always working — just not high profile gigs,” Clay wrote. “Didn’t do any television. I didn’t have a publicist.”

He stayed below the radar for years, occasionally starring in failed sitcoms and various reality shows — including an appearance on the second season of “Celebrity Apprentice” where he was fired on the first episode — and performing regularly at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

The Diceman had cometh and the Diceman had gone.

But that all changed in 2012 when, through a chance meeting, he landed a role in the final season of HBO’s “Entourage,” playing a thinly veiled version of himself. That same year, Clay released “Indestructible” on Showtime, his first standup special in 17 years. Then he landed a role in Woody Allen’s Academy Award-winning film, “Blue Jasmine.”

Now he’s bringing his act to Peekskill for a one-night-only performance at Paramount Hudson Valley. He agreed to answer a few questions before his show.

When did you first get interested in performing?

I started out as a drummer. I loved people who worked with excitement like the great Buddy Rich. But I was never a great drummer and I knew I would wind up being a bar mitzvah drummer if I stayed at it. Then I started doing impressions and then stand-up followed.

You’ve compared your performance style to that of a rock and roll musician, could you discuss that a little bit?

I always wanted to create excitement on stage... When I would watch (comedians) when I was starting, they would bore the (expletive) out of me. The same clothes, never moving on stage. Great jokes but I would (fall) asleep in five minutes. I added the leather jacket and made sure my comedy was loud — like a rock concert.

Does the comedy help with the acting or vice versa?

I never really thought about it. Some comedians are great actors and other comedians are just terrible actors. I’m lucky I’m great at doing both.

How did your role on “Entourage” come about?

I ran into this old friend of mine, Bruce Rubinstein. Over Starbucks he says to me I should do “Entourage” ’cause he knows that the producer of the show, Doug Ellin, is (a fan) of mine. I said, “How do you know that?” He says, “He’s my best friend and he thinks you’re the greatest the comic in the world. And I’m texting with him right now.” True story and now Bruce is my manager. And from “Entourage,” Woody saw me and knew I could act and the rest is history.

How was working with Woody Allen?

You could not ask for a better director. I think because we’re both comics, we connected on a special level. He really allows his actors to give their input into the scripts. He’s open to ideas. Who would have thought Andrew Dice Clay would ever be in a Woody Allen film?

What’s next?

I just finished an HBO project (with) Martin Scorsese which was amazing. My autobiography, “The Filthy Truth,” (Touchstone/Simon & Schuster) comes out Nov. 11 and that’s going to be great. I’m probably going on tour out of the country for the first time in the fall — I’ve got these fans from all the world who keep finding me on Facebook (and) YouTube. Maybe another special. Too much stuff I can’t talk about yet.